Mara's Paladin
by LegionTheLynx
Summary: Mara's Paladin is a story set in The Elder Scrolls universe. On the continent of Skyrim follow Arven, an orphaned Breton with a divine beginning. Through the whispers of bardic songs and lost books Arven hears of an ancient tomb to that of a long dead necromancer. Gathering a group, they decide to lay their sights on the promise of treasure and glory, but soon find out they bit o
1. Chapter 1: FrozenHearth

"Beginnings are weird, as you probably know. Mine is sure no exception to that, I grew up in the mountains to the north of Skyrim near here. Living isolated in the mountains is hard, being a Breton in a land where the harsh weather is more forgiving to outsiders then the people are, didn't help. Luckily the College of Winterhold is a bit kinder then the rest." Said a young looking man, he had blue eyes, short blond hair and was wearing metal plate armor. Sitting at a table in a mostly empty inn he continued. "Life in the mountain was harsh but father made it work. That was until my mother died, then things became difficult. We started struggling and my father had to work harder. He had me stay home and do the things she would do, even though I kept asking him to take me hunting. Eventually he begrudgingly agreed and he took me out, it was rather boring until we were attacked. We didn't see or even hear the bear until it was to late. Father told to run as he stood his ground and tried to fight it off." Said the young man before pausing to take a sip from his mug. The flicker from warm hearth lit his face as he continued "So I listened, I ran looking back as I did I saw it tear my father apart and then charge at me. I lost hope as it closed in, while looking back I didn't see the cliff that I was approaching. The fall felt long in the moment, but thinking about it now it couldn't have been more then few moments. Hitting the ground, everything hurt all at the same time. I tasted iron as blood filled my mouth and breathing became difficult." The light highlighted the young mans now watering eyes. Blinking a few times he carried on. "I felt as the life faded from my breath and everything went dark. I don't know how long before i saw the ball of light floating down towards me. The light formed into the body of a beautiful women that said "Its is not your time." After she said that she leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. I opened my eyes and took a deep, long breath. Looking into the sky I laid there for awhile before I was found by a wandering mage from the college. They took me in, found out I was good at Restoration and now I'm sitting here in front of you." He looked at the Dark elf women that sat across from him. She sat listening curiously, her completely red eyes decorated by the red war paint that splattered the sockets tried to decipher him.

She adjusted her black mage robes, "So Arven, it's Arven right?" She asked.

He nodded "Yes, and your name is Silva, correct?" Arven asked.

Silva nodded "You're saying you fell off a cliff and some women resurrected you?" She shot a look of doubt at him as she asked. He nodded and she laughed, lifting up her cup to her mouth she said "I think you're a bit deeper in the cups then you may know." She took a long sip. "Well whether or not you're a drunken fool the story was a bit interesting." She said as she got up to leave.

Arven stopped her "Wait! I promise you I am not drunken fool. If you didn't like that story, I have something that I know will peak your interest." He hastily said as he he fumbled pulling a roll of paper and two books from his pack. "The college has this massive library in it full of books, scrolls, and maps." He said as he rolled out a hand drawn map of the east of Skyrim. "Have you ever heard of the Tale Of Veken The Risen?" He asked.

Silva thought for a moment. Turning around she said "Yes, the one about the necromancer and how he laid himself to rest in a hidden tomb to be woken sometime in the future. I've heard it sung within a few inns I've ventured."

Arven smiled, looking at the map he said "Well, then you know it says that he was buried with the wealth he obtained with his undead army. Through the story, and a few dusty long forgotten books I think I pieced together where it could be." As he was flattening out the map he knocked over his mug, the water spilled out on the floor. Frantically, he picked up his mug apologizing to a barmaid that moved over to clean it up.

Silva chuckled and waited for the scene to die down, eyeing Arvin up and down she asked "Why are you telling me this?"

Arvin sighed and looked down "I need help, I ll be honest you're not the first I've asked. Everyone else either doesn't want to leave or says I'm crazy. I can't do this alone, I've never even left town. Please, help me." He pleaded.

"Hmm," Silva thought "Sorry kid but I'll decline." She turned and walked away, she stopped as she heard the sound of a large sack of coins slam against the table.

"One Hundred and Fifty gold and a share of whatever treasure we find." Arvin said.

She turned and walked back. Opening the sack she glanced inside, the light from the hearth glimmered off the large amount of coins. "Meet me in the front of town, I need to pick up some supplies before we head out." She said walking out of the inn, taking the coins as she did.

Arven quickly packed up the map and books and cheerfully headed outside.


	2. Chapter 2: Wolves

Arvin stood at the front of town looking out at the long snowy road. Looking at his hand drawn map he gripped it tighter as a light snow blew in. Distracted, he failed to notice as Silva approached him. She waited for a few moments and he still didn't noticed her. She rubbed a few of her fingers together, she extended one of them and tapped him with it. He jolted from the spark "What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his arm.

She smiled "If we are going to be traveling together you need to learn to be more observant." She said.

"Noted." He said.

"Now, where exactly are we heading?" She asked.

He held up the map, pointing at a few locations he said "Well I believe the tomb is located down in the Rift so my plane is to head to Windhelm stock up if we need to and then down through Eastmarch. After that we just need to head to a set of mountains and it should be around there. The journey is mostly roads so it should be safe." He said.

Silva chuckled "You have much to learn, roads don't mean your safe." She said patting him on the back. "I can get us to Windhelm no problem but after that we may need a guide." She said.

Arven shrugged "That should be fine." He said.

"Good, then let's head out, it a two days journey there so let's not waste daylight." She said walking down the road, Arvin followed behind.

They walked in silence for awhile, passing a few snow covered plants gently waving in the wind. The snow covered mountain paths eventually gave way to equally snow covered forest. Silva kept her eyes trained forward and occasionally made perimeter checks, Eventually she noticed that Arvin kept nervously looking around and started to repeatedly glanced behind them towards winterhold which was a ways off. After a few more minutes of this Silva asked "What's wrong."

Arvin rubbed the back of his head. "Just nervous, I've never really left town, never even been in real combat before." He said.

Silva eyed him "Really? Did that useless college of mages even teach you anything?" She asked.

Arvin glared at Silva "They're good people at the college." He turned his head and looked down. "They taught me plenty but I lack any ability to do anything other than restoration." He said shamefully.

"I'm sure they are good people at the college, but they shouldn't lock themselves away from the non magic users." She said examining the palm of her hand as it started to glow blue. "Locking magic away gives people a reason to be fearful, it doesn't allow them to see the good magic can do, the potential it has in the right hands." She said grinning.

"It also has potential in wrong hands." Arvin said. "If you don't like the College so much then why were in the town where it was?" He asked.

"I may not like them, but they do have some of the best teachers in all of skyrim and I needed a few spells. Also it's the closest town to the Shrine of Azu-" She was interrupted by the sound of a person bursting through the nearby snow covered shrubbery. The two watched as an out of breath Wood Elf sprinted towards them holding two steel daggers.

"Wolves!" The Elf cried out with fear in his eyes.

Silva's hands crackled with blue arcane energy as she readied herself. Arvin pulled pulled his mace from his side, his off hand started to glow with white light. The Elf ran and cowered behind the two. They watch as a large White Wolf burst from the shrubbery followed by two smaller grey wolves. Silva pulled one of her hands back and then quickly pushed it forward realising a bolt of blue electric energy. It hit one of the smaller wolves slowing it down, she did the same with her other hand and the second bolt smashed into its shoulder, bringing it down. Arvin extended his off hand as he did, mostly opec barrier appeared in front of him. The White Wolf leaped at Arvin clashing against the barrier. Arvin got nugged back but ket holding up. The other grey wolf had gone around the barrier, leaping it clamped onto Arvins arm. He cried out in pain as he dropped the barrier and swung at the grey wolf with his mace. The White Wolf moved into attack but was pushed back as a bolt of blue energy that slammed into its head. Arvin bashed hs mace into the wolfs face but it's bite held up. The Wood Elf saw this, spinning one of his daggers in his hand he plunged it into the Grey Wolf's neck. It's jaw went limp as the body tumbled to the ground. Silva released another bolt of energy into the White Wolf. It shook its head then growled, rearing back it leaped at her. Silva grit her teeth, pulling back both of her arms she threw both of them forward at the same time. The wolf's body exploded with electrical energy that sent it back a few meters. It slid to rest in the snow. Silva fell to her knees exhausted.

"That should be all of them." The Wood Elf said, he pushed his long blonde hair back, holing out his hand towards Arvin he said "Eldar Spirekeep at your service." The large smile on his face immediately faded as he saw Arvins wound. "Do you need any help with that?" He asked.

Arvin waved him off "I'll be fine." He said, his off hand started glowing a light gold color as he closed. The golden light swirled around his arm as his wounds begin to heal. Arvin let out a sigh of relief.

"So you're not the only one here that can use magic." Eldar said as he pulled out his dagger from the Grey Wolf's body. Walking over to the now dead White Wolf he examined it. The stomach of the wolf had been exposed by the large cavity that had been created by the explosion. He eyed something shiny in the contents leaking from it, quickly he snached it and slid it into a back pocket. "You're quite skilled." He said to Silva.

"Thanks" She grumbled as she stood up.

"Well don't be so bleek, now I must know your names so I can thank you properly." Eldar said.

Arven stood up and walked over to them "My names Arven and she's Silva." He said.

"It's a pleasure to meet both you." Eldar said forcefully shaking both of there hands. "Now how ever will the talented Eldar Spierkeep repay you?"

"Well what are your talents?" Arven asked

"The great Eldar Spierkeep has many including salesman, acquirer of goods, "persuader" and many more." He said before bowing.

Silva rolled her eyes and folded her arms. Arvin smiled and said "What about acting as guide?"

"Of course! I am a Wood Elf after all." Eldar said. "But that does depend on where you need guiding to."

"Well were heading down to the Rift." Arven said

Eldars face lit up "So am I!" He said "Where in the Rift are you going?"

"Hey, why don't we talk while we walk? We don't want to waste anymore time right?" Asked Silva.

Arven nodded "She's right, I'll explain on the way." He said

"Wonderfull!" Eldar said as they all started heading down the road.


End file.
